Cleat applying tool



June A25, 1951 E H, EARRON 2,558,230

CLEAT APPLYING TOOL Filed March 2l, 1950 INVENTR fbi/mp0 -AQOA/ ATTORNEY Filed March 21, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 5| I '.v l s fs E i* E v .La

5 s Nv June 26, 1951 E H BARRQN 2,558,230

CLEAT APPLYING TOOL INVEN-roR 5D WARD H 56E/90N ATTORNEY Patented June 26, 1951 UNITEDl STATES PATENT oFFlcE CLEAT APPLYIN G TOOL Edward H. Barron,` East Orange, N. J. l Application March 21, 1950, Serial No. 150,947

Claims. l

My invention relates to -tools and more particularly to cleat applying tools.

In applying cleats to a supporting surface, considerable diiiiculty is experienced in maintaining both the object to be supported by the cleat and the latter in a predetermined location while fastening means, for instance, nails are driven through the openings in the cleat to sejcure the latter to the surface, an example of an installation of this character being the attachment of sections of pipe, in a denite spaced relation, to the ceiling of a room for utilization in connection with radiant heating.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a cleat applying tool capable of supporting both the cleat and object in a, predetermined p'osition relative to a supporting surface for and during fastening of the cleat to the surface.

Another object of my a tool of the foregoing described character equipped with means effective for applying the fastening elements to secure-the cleat to the supporting surface.

An important object of my invention is to provide a tool of the foregoing described character which is simple in construction, durable in use, eflicient in operation and economical in manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings from which the several features of the invention tained thereby will be those skilled in the art.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation tool.

Figure 2 is a top plan View thereof. n

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the upper section of the tool, on -an enlarged scale and taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a cleat.

In the embodiment of my novel form of cleat applying tool or device illustrated in the drawings, I provide a head f5 formed ywith a, pair of vertical bOres 6 extending entirely through the head between its upper and lower ends and in which bores E6 are slidably and loosely mounted driving elements, rods or plungers 1 constituting readily understood yby of my cleat applying 2 a pair of components of a elongated upper face of the head is formed with an arcuate-shaped transverse slot 8 between the upper ends of the bores 6 and which slot f8 receives therein the intermediate arcuate portion 9 of a cleat C formed with relatively at :aligned end portions or feet I 0 which extend over the upper face of the head 5 adjacent the slot 8.

The portionsI I0 of the cleat are formed with holes I I which overlie the upper ends of the bores 6 an-d receive therethrough suitable fasteners, for example, nails N disposed on the upper ends of the rods 1. The nails N are driven by the rods 1 through the holes II :as hereinafter more fully described, thus, securing the cleat C to a supn porting surface, for instance, a ceiling S.

invention is to provide y l section of the pole has and the advantages' at- Each rod 1 is formed on its peripheral face, between its upper and lower end sections, with a flat I2 which cooperates with a set-screw I3, threaded into the head 5, for limiting the upward and downward movement of the rod. The rods 1 have their lower end sections normally disposed below the lower end of the head 5 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, for intermittent or driving engagement with an elongated cylindrical hammer or driver I5 constituting another component of the driving assembly.

Threaded AWithin the lower end of the head 5, between the bore 6, is the upper end of a metallic supporting member or pole I6 on which the driver I 5 is slidably mounted, the lower end of the pole being provided with a'ha'ndle I1. The lower end reciprocally mounted thereon a hand grip I8 comprising a spirally wound member provided with an upper end section I9 extending in parallelism with the pole and terminating within a socket 20 formed in the lower radial face of the driver and secured within the socket by means of a set-screw 2 I. I

The head has secured thereto an adjustable gauge `22 comprising an elongated bar 23 provided with a lengthwise extending row of spaced openings 24. A bolt 25 extends transversely through the head andY selectively through one of the openings 24 in the bar and has threaded thereon fa thumb-nut `6 which serves, when tightened against the bfar 2|, to maintain the latter in fixed relation-with the head. One end of the bar terminates in a right-angularly dise posed end section 21" which engages an adja'e cent object O for instance, :a section of pipe, to position the cleat C in a desired spaced relation thereto. Obviously, by removing the nut 26, the bar 23 may beshifted to dispose the bolt 25 in any one of the other openings 24 to change driving assembly. The

the distance between the object O and cleat C as desired.

It is to be noted that each of the rods 1 is of a greater length between its upper end and the upper end of the flat I2 than between its lower end and the adjacent end of the at I2. This construction, when the rods are transposed end for end within the bores 6, permits the use of larger nails for securing cleats to the ceiling. It is also to be noted that the lower end of the pole i6 is adapted 'to extend an appreciable distance below the handle l1 so that when the device is quickly lowered or dropped from the ceiling, the

lower end of the pole will initially engage thefloor to preclude damage to the handle l1 by accidental engagement with the door.l

In use-assuming that nailsare rdisposed with in the upper ends of the bore: 1 with their heads seated on the upper ends of the rods 1 andtheir shank ends extending through the holes il and Aterminating slightly above the legs 1B, the cleat disposed over the head with its arcuate portion -set within the slot -8 and an object, for instance, a-section of pipe P positioned ywithin the cleat C-the head is lifted towards the ceiling by the lpole :i6 to dispose the cleat C and pipe P against .the ceiling S and in spaced relation with the adjacent 'object Oby means of the gauge 22. When the -parts are `thus positioned, the operator, with one handgripping the handle i1, holds the head, cleat and -pipe in fixed lrelation with Athe ceiling land .with theother handgrasps the grip I8 and reciprocates the latter on the pole I6 with the 'result that the driver l5 engages the rods 'i and imparts a driving action therewith which drives the nails N into the ceiling through the openings H `of thecleatC. When the cleat is thus applied to the ceiling with the sectionof pipe P secured therebetween, the device -is lowered for further use in the same manner.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the invention that others may, -by applying current knowledge, readily ada-pt the same for .use under various conditions .of service. Moreover, it is not indispensable that .all the features of the invention vbe used conjointly since they may be employed advantageously in various ncombinations and subcombivnations.

It is obvious that `the invention is not confined to the herein described use therefore as it may be utilized for any purpose to which it is adaptable. It istherefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction as `illustrated and described, as the same is 'only illustrative of the principles involved which -are capable -of extended. application in various forms, 'and the invention comprehends all construction within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In -a cleat Yattaching device, a body having a -cleat supporting face and formed with a vplurality 'of bores vopening through said face Vand an arcuate cleat positioning slot within said face and .between said bores for accommodating therein the substantially U-shaped intermediate section 7of 'a cleat having relativelyv nat end sections provided with openings for disposal in substantial registry with said bores, a .cluding elements reciprocally mounted and redriving assembly inf Ysembly.

4 tained within said bores for driving cleat fastening elements contained within said bores through said openings to secure said cleat to a supporting surface.

2. The structure as set forth and defined in claim l including, a member connected to said body for positioning the latter in cleat applying position, and means carried by said body and slidable relative thereto for operating said asv3. The structure as 'set forth and defined in claim 2 including, a gauge adjustably carried by 'said body for gauging the position of said body v on said. surface relative to an adjacent object or the like. A*

'4. In a cleat attaching device, a head having a lower face .anda vcleat supporting upper face, said head being formed with a plurality of bores opening through both c f said faces and with an arcuate cleat positioning slot within said upper face andbetween said bores vfor accommodating therein the arcuate-shaped i intermediate lsection of acleat having relatively flat end sections lprovided with yopen-ings for disposal in 4substantial registry with said bores, plungers slidably mounted and retained-within said bores for driving nails disposed in said Vbores through said openings to secure said cleat to a supporting surface, said Aplungers having their lower end portions normally disposed appneoiable Adistances below said-lower face, and driving means vconnected to said `head for 'engaging said portions to effect driving of said plungers.

5. In a cleat attaching device, a head having a lower Iface AJand 'a cleat supporting lupper face, said .head being vformed with a yplurality -of bores Vopening through bothof said faces and with an arcuate-cleat positioning-slot within said upper -fa'ce and between said bores for accommodating Vtherein-the arcuate-shaped intermediate section of a -cleat having relatively flat end sections provided with .openings -for disposal in substantial registry with said bores, plungers slidably mounted -and retained within said lbores for driving nailsdisposed in said bores through rsaid openings to securesaid-cleat toa supporting surface, said -plungers Yhaving their lower end portions normally disposed appreciable distances below said. lower face, a rod secured to said head and extending downwardly from said lower face vfor positioning ysaid head in cleat Aapplying position relative to said surface, and Va driver slidably rmounted on said rod for engaging said lportions to eiect driving of said plungers .EDWARD H. BARRON.

REFERENCES CITED V'Ihe following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

